They want Congress to introduce laws to give US children better nutrition in schools, with less sugar, salt and fat.
John Shalikashvili and Hugh Shelton, both former chairmen of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote: "Obesity rates threaten the overall health of America and the future strength of our military."

"We consider this problem so serious from a national security perspective that we have joined more than 130 other retired generals, admirals and senior military leaders in calling on Congress to pass new child nutrition legislation," the commanders added.

They want Congress to introduce laws to give US children better nutrition in schools, with less sugar, salt and fat.
John Shalikashvili and Hugh Shelton, both former chairmen of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote: "Obesity rates threaten the overall health of America and the future strength of our military."

"We consider this problem so serious from a national security perspective that we have joined more than 130 other retired generals, admirals and senior military leaders in calling on Congress to pass new child nutrition legislation," the commanders added.

If there is one thing that will bring all races and all people of color together it will be "McDonalds" the American People will never allow the Scumsucking Moonbats to take away their "Quarter Pounder And Fries"

It's not because they're Repubs. It's because a much higher percentage of the South is rural, without the kinds of hospitable open spaces that folks in Colorado have. The diet is not the best, and roads there are narrow (no need for wide roads for snow removal), and there are no sidewalks to mitigate the problem, usually only deep drainage ditches. It's hot and humid for a large portion of the year, and so on.

Having lived in the South and in New England, I can definitely say that the infrastructure and culture here are simply more disposed to healthier living. It's no shock to see CT and MA near the top of the list for fit states. Virginia has some of the same advantages and probably would be healthier if not for the rural areas that have the same problems as everywhere else in the South.

Is it a matter of rural area or is income/wealth the driver? (the 2 are probably correlated, I would guess, but I would think economics are the cause)

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I'd say income, I think. It's more expensive to buy healthy food like fruit and vegetable than it is to by potato chips and pepsi.

Between 1985 and 2000, the cost of fruits and vegetables shot up nearly 120 percent, while the price tags on soft drinks, fats, sugars and sweets increased by less than 50 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In a 2003 survey at a Seattle supermarket, Drewnowski found that foods considered culprits in the obesity epidemic, including chips, cookies and soft drinks, were cheaper per calorie than more nutritious options such as fresh carrots, lean meats and fruits.

When you've got a family to feed and not much money you're way more likely to be more concerned with them not being hungry than you are with how healthy the food they're eating happens to be.

There's also the fact that poor neighborhoods have far less access to chain grocery stores than do middle or upper class neighborhoods. Chain stores generally sell food items at a much cheaper price than does a "Mom & Pop" grocery store or a convenience mart such as 7-11. Poor people have less access to transportation to the farther away grocery store, forcing them to shop in their own area where they must be content with what they find on the shelves - and that's not often the healthiest food.

Three studies found a reduced risk of obesity among people with more supermarkets in their neighborhood; two of these studies found a link between better access to convenience stores and increased obesity risk.

Research also clearly shows "stark racial and ethnic disparities" in the type of food stores available in neighborhoods, according to the researchers. One study showed that mostly-black neighborhoods had half as many chain supermarkets as predominantly white neighborhoods, while Hispanic neighborhoods had a third as many such stores as white areas.

Six studies in which investigators actually visited stores and checked out the merchandise found healthy foods like fresh produce, low fat dairy foods, high fiber breads and lean meats were more available and of higher quality in white neighborhoods than non-white neighborhoods. Rural communities also tend to have worse access to supermarkets, the researchers add.

I can't find a link but I'd be pretty confident to say that you're also much more likely to find a McDonalds or a Burger King in a poor neighborhood than you'd be to find a sushi-bar or a resturant offering a wide variety of healthy (and relatively expensive) items.

Once again....I watched a home movie taken at Woodstock about a month ago after about 4-5 minutes i realized i hadn't seen one over weight person. Everyone was skinny, no wide bodies like you see everywhere today.

Once again....I watched a home movie taken at Woodstock about a month ago after about 4-5 minutes i realized i hadn't seen one over weight person. Everyone was skinny, no wide bodies like you see everywhere today.